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Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1

Peterborough City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

04 Feb 2026 at 13:16

Tender Notice
Tender

02 Feb 2026 at 15:51

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Peterborough City Council has launched a tender for the "Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1" under the Health and Social Work Services industry category. This procurement aims to reopen a multi-supplier "pseudo DPS", providing services across various lots including fostering agencies, residential children's homes, special education provisions, out-of-school tuition, and post-16 alternative provision. Located in Cambridgeshire, this process is currently in the tender stage with a deadline for submissions set for 4th March 2026 at 12:00 PM. The procurement follows a procedure akin to the open procedure as outlined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with the flexibility of the Light Touch Regime for Social Services.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in child care, education, and related support services. It is particularly well-suited for independent fostering agencies, providers of special education, and organisations offering alternative education solutions. By participating in this tender, businesses can engage in a significant public procurement process that allows for multiple suppliers, thereby fostering competition and enabling growth. Successful bidders will have the chance to establish long-term contracts, with the potential for further engagement through mini-competitions under specific lots, promoting a sustainable business model within public sector partnerships.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1

Notice Description

The procurement is to reopen a multi supplier "pseudo DPS" (referred to as "PDPS"). As the PDPS Agreement will be "pseudo PDPS", it will look and feel similar to a DPS agreement set up under Regulation 34 of the PCR. This means that the Authority envisages the PDPS will re-open at (12) twelve-month intervals (or at other intervals at the Authority's discretion) for new providers to apply or previously unsuccessful providers to re-apply. Reopening of the PDPS is solely at the discretion of the Authority. The Procurement is being run using a procedure similar to the open procedure described in Regulation 27of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). However, the Authority reserves the right to deviate from the formalities of the open procedure given the flexibilities permitted by Regulation 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) in the conduct of procurements for "Social and Other Specific Services", otherwise referred to as "Light Touch Regime" procurement * Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agencies * Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes * Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provisions/Post 16 Placements * Lot 4 Out of School Tuition * Lot 5 Post 16 Alternative Provision There is an additional Lot 6 which will comprise of mini competition stage for block contracts, Please note that only those bidders that are awarded onto Lots as detailed below will be invited to participate in mini competition * Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate * Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate * Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Where it is appropriate to do so, Peterborough is committed to supporting children and young people to remain living and learning in their local area. It should be noted that for Independent Special Educational Provisions offering 38+ week boarding or 52 week placements, Providers will need to meet the requirements within both the Lot 3 Specification (for ISEPS) and Lot 2 Specification (for Residential Children's Homes) The definition of Partner Organisation for the purpose of this procurement will be any Educational Establishment within Peterborough as defined at: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/all-schools-colleges, or any Local Authority Council in England whether County, Unitary, District, Borough, Metropolitan, parish or community Council as defined at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm

Lot Information

Independent Fostering Agency

Lot 1 will encompass placements for children and young people in care with foster carers registered to Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs), in accordance with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6a Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6a will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.

Residential Childrens Homes

Lot 2 is for placements for Children and young people in care in registered, Residential Children's Homes in accordance with the Children's Home (England) Regulations 2015. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6b Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6b will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.

Independent Special Education Provision

Lot 3 is for both registered Independent Specialist Education Placements (ISEPS) and Post 16 Placements; for children & young people with Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs). Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6c Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6c will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.

Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision

Lot 4 relates to both Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision for children & young people with special educational needs & disabilities. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6d Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6d will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.

Post 16 Education

Lot 5 relates to Post 16 Alternative Provision for young people & young adults with special educational needs & disabilities. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6eCompetitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6e will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.

Block Contracts (Mini Competition)

Mini competition stage, Please note that only those bidders that are awarded onto Lots as detailed below will be invited to participate * Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate * Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate * Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Additional information: This lot has no value as any contracts awarded value is included in the appropriate lot value.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06148b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009975-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85100000 - Health services

85300000 - Social work and related services

85310000 - Social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
£738,162,312 £100M-£1B
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Feb 20268 months ago
Submission Deadline
4 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
9 Jun 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Peterborough City Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PETERBOROUGH
Postcode
PE2 8TY
Postcode Area
Peterborough
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH41 Peterborough
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Peterborough
Electoral Ward
Fletton and Stanground
Westminster Constituency
North West Cambridgeshire

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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